March 10, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — An alliance of Sudanese Islamic jihadists and Darfur Arab militia groups pledged to carry out 250 attacks against countries that are supporting the decisions of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The new development follows a decision by the ICC judges last week to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur.

The alliance promised “world imperialists and CIA agents in US, UK and France with another September 11 attack”.

Ocampo was described as being vilified while Nur and Ibrahim were labeled as Zionist agents and renegades emphasizing that it was a duty to pursue them and execute God’s law against them “wherever they went”.

The statement published in the pro-government Akhir-Lahza newspaper was signed by Martyr Abu-Qiseissah Suicide Group, Ansar Al-Sunnah Al-Jihadiyah group, the Group in Search of Martyrdom, the Martyr Ali Abdel-Fattah Brigade and the Darfur Lions Brigade represented by Musa Hilal.

Hilal, a Janjaweed leader, was appointed last year as an adviser for the ministry of federal government drawing strong rebuke from Western nations and human right groups.

The leader of the Darfurian Arab Mahameed clan has been named by numerous eyewitnesses in Darfur as leading terror campaign against the African tribes in the war ravaged region.

The UN Security Council imposed travel and financial sanctions on Hilal and three other individuals in April 2006. The US president George Bush issued an executive order enforcing similar sanctions on them.

The tribal leader denied any wrongdoings and told Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a videotaped interview in 2005, that he only recruited militias on behalf of Sudan’s central government.

The US embassy today said it is allowing non-essential staff to leave Sudan citing “uncertain security conditions following the expulsion of NGOs as well as harassment of humanitarian aid workers, employees of non-governmental organizations, and Westerners in general”.

The US mission said it has introduced “heightened security measures” to protect its personnel.

It said the US government has information about “terrorist threats” aimed at American and European interests, noting that recent demonstrations have featured anti-Western rhetoric.

Tensions are running high in Sudan following the arrest warrant as the government sought to rally people around it warning of Western plot against the country.

“Violence will bring no victory. For the sake of the Darfur civilians, all parties to the conflict have to stop resorting to violence. This is the absolute priority.” - Luis Moreno-Ocampo, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, 05 June 2009

"APPREHENSION" by Rob Rooker. Painted on a wall in Maridi, Sudan. The image is of a young Nuer boy looking up among a crowd of people. Click on image for more details. Cards & prints of Rob's paintings can be purchased online at Imagekind.com